Sling and end fitting



F. W. vom WEHRDEN 495,953

SLING AND END FITTING Filed Nov. l, 1945 Mgr.

Patented Jan. 3l, 1950 "L l'i`ED STATES TENT OFFlCE SLING AND END FITTING Application November 1, 1945, Serial No. 626,049 18 Claims. (Cl. 287-817) This invention relates to the end fitting. con,- structions of slings, particularly braided or plaited wire rope slings with end loops that fit around end fittings. It has for its principal object to provide a shackle or clevis-type end tting construction for the above type of sling that is strong and durable, light in weight, simple and economical and is readily assembled from two corresponding rope thimbles adapted to support the end loops of the sling throughout their entire length and to provide alined shackle pin openings in the outer end portion `of said fitting. The invention consists in the sling and end tting construction and inthe parts and combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a side iaceview of a plaited or braided wire rope sling provided with an end fitting construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side edge view of the sling and end fitting construction,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary central longitudinal section through the outer or shackle pin receiving portion of the fitting on line 3 3 in Fig.,1;and

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views on the lines 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, in Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawing my invention is shown embodied in a sling comprising aneight.

plaited or braided wire rope .I terminating at one end of the sling in four loops 2.A The slingis prof.

vided with a shackle or clevis-type endtting preferably comprising two corresponding. rigidly. connected rope thimbles 3 thatV are spaced apart at the outer end of said iitting and are brought together in side-by-side relation at the -inner end thereof. Each of the thimbles 3.is preferably made of a bar of channel-shaped cross-section that is bent at its middle to form asemi-circular outer end portion 4 and converging side portions 5 that meet at the inner end of said thimble, the channel of the bent bar facing outwardly and forming an exterior rope groove 5 that extends from said inner end of said thimble along said side portions and around said semi-circular. outer end portion. The converging side portions 5 of each thimble are welded together asat -.'I, at the inner end thereof; and said converging side portions are also connected together adjacent to the semi-circular outer end portion 4V of said thimble by a cross piece Bithat fits-between and is welded, as at 9, tothe opposing faces of said side portions. The cross or bridge piece.y

' v' 8 is curved endwise so as to form with the curved outer end portion 4 of the thimble a substantially circular transverse shackle pin receiving opening IIJ. Each of the thimbles 3 also has its converging side portions 5 bent laterally, as at I I, at an oblique angle from a point inwardly lof the cross piece or bridge 8 to a, point adjacent 'to the inner end of said thimble where said side portions preferably terminate in end portions I2 that are disposed parallel with the forward portions of said side portions.

.The two thimbles 3 are assembled to form the shackle or clevis-type end fitting by cross connecting said thimbles together with their outer end portions in spaced parallel relation, with their laterally bent portions II converging toward the inner end of the fitting and with their parallel inner ends I2 in contact sidewise. The means for rigidly connecting the two thimbles together preferably comprises a cross or bridge piece I 4 that ts between the spaced parallel forward portions of said thimbles at the place where they converge toward each other and is welded, as at I 5, to the opposing side faces thereof. Said securing means also includes a weld I@ that secures the parallel inner ends I2 of the two thimbles directly together in side-by-side relation.

As shown in the drawing, the four end loops 2 of the sling are separated or divided into two pairs with the loops of each pair tting one upon the other in the external groove 6 of each thimbleand with the converging portions of each loop merging into the main body portion of the sling at the innerend of the fitting. As shown in the drawing, the channel `or grooves t of the end fitting are bridged or covered, as at Il, at the inner end of the fitting and also, as at I8, ad-

jacent to the connecting bridge Ill for the two to hold the forksof the end fitting under compression against strains which tend to spread or distort them. The vtwo thimbles are oi the same size and` shape and are quickly and easily secured together to forma shackle or clevis-type endA ntting of strong, Vsimple and economical con-` struction. The size of the fitting may be varied by using thimbles of different sizes. The cross members adjacent to the outer ends of the thimbles serve to strengthen them and they also cooperate with said ends to form alined transverse holes in the forks of the fitting for a shackle pin IS. The hereinbefore described construction also eliminates the heavy and expensiveforged or cast one-piece clevis-type end fittings heretofore employed; and it also eliminates the zinc filled socket constructions heretofore required for anchoring the sling to such fittings.

Obviously, numerous changes may be made without departing from the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a single rope and an end fitting therefor, said end fitting comprising a plurality of separately formed rope thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and have alined openings therethrough and are brought together and rigidly united in side-bye side non-communicating relation at the other end thereof, said rope terminating at one end in a plurality of closed loops, each positioned about one of' said thimbles.

2. In combination, a single wire rope and an end fitting therefor, said end fitting comprising a pair of separately formed corresponding rope thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and have alined openings therethrough and are brought together and rigidly united in side-by-side non-communicating relation at the other end thereof, said rope terminating at one end in a pair of closed loops, each positioned about one of said thimbles.

3. In combination, a single braided wire rope sling and a shackle-type end fitting therefor. said end tting comprising two separately formed thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and have alined shackle pin openings therethrough and are brought together and rigidly united in side-by-side non-communicating relation at the other end thereof, said braided wire rope terminating at one end in two closed loops, one positioned about each of said thimbles.

4. In combination, a single braided wire rope sling and a shackle-type end fitting therefor, said end fitting comprising two separately formed thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and have alined shackle pin openings therethrough and are brought together and rigidly united in side-by-side non-communi eating relation at the other end thereof. said braided wire rope terminating at one end in two loops. one positioned about each of said thimbles. and a cross member rigidly uniting said thimbles between the spaced portions thereof.

5. In combination, a braided wire rope sling and a shackle-type end fitting therefor. said end .fitting comprising two exteriorly grooved thimbles that are spaced apart at one end ofby-side relation, said braided wire rope terminating at one end in two loops. one positioned in 'v the external groove of-each of said thimbles.

Ait)

6. In combination, a braided wire rope sling and a shackle-type end fitting therefor, said end fitting comprising two eXteriorly grooved thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and are brought together in side-byside relation at the other end thereof, the spaced portions of said thimbles being shaped to provide substantially circular shackle pin receiving holes therein, and connecting means for said thimbles comprising a bridge piece connecting the spaced portions thereof and welds connectF ing the portions thereof that are brought to gether in side-by-side relation, said braided wire rope terminating at one end in two pairs of loops, the loops of one pair being positioned one over the other in the external groove of one of said thimbles and the loops of the other pair being similarly positioned in the external groove in the other of said thimbles.

7. The combination, a rope and an end iitting therefor, said end fitting comprising a plurality of separately formed rigidly connected rope thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said fitting and converge from their spaced apart portions toward the other end of said fitting where they contact sidewise in non-communicating relation, said rope terminating at one end in a plurality of closed loops, each tting around one of said thimbles.

8. In combination, a rope and a shackle-type end fitting therefor, said end fitting comprising two rigidly connected exteriorly grooved thimbles, each having a substantially semi-circular end portion and portions substantially tangent thereto that converge toward and are substantially in contact at the other end of said thimble, said semi-circular end portions of said thimbles being spaced apart at one end of said fitting and said converging portions converging toward the other end of said fitting where they contact side-A wise, said rope terminating at one end in two` loops, one positioned in the external groove of one of said thimbles and the other positioned in the external groove of the other of said thimbles.

9. In combination, a rope and a shackle-type end fitting therefor, said end tting comprising two rigidly connected exteriorly grooved thimbles, each having a substantially semi-circular end portion, portions substantially tangent thereto that converge toward and are substantially in contact at the other end of said thimble, and a portion connecting said converging portions ad` jacent to said semi-circular end portion and co operating therewith to form a shackle pin receiving opening, said semi-circular end portions of sa id thimbles being spaced apart at one end of said a fitting and said converging portions converging toward the other end of said iitting where they Contact sidewise, said rope terminating at one4 Vend in two loops, one positioned in the external groove of one of said thimbles and the other posi.q tioned in the external groove of the other of said thimbles.

other end thereof.

11. A shackle-type end fitting for a rope sling; comprising two separately formed thimbles spaced apart at one end of said fitting and brought to-v,

gether in side-by-side non-communicating relaf tion at the other end thereof, and securing means v for said thimbles including a cross member between the spaced portions thereof.

12. A shackle-type end fitting for a braided wire rope sling comprising two exteriorly grooved thimbles spaced apart at one end of said fitting and brought together' in side-by-side relation at the other end thereof, the spaced portions of said thimbles being shaped to provide substantially circular shackle pin receiving holes therein, and connecting means for said thimbles comprising a bridge piece connecting the spaced portions thereof and welds connecting the portions thereof that are brought together in side-by-side relation.

13. An end fitting for a rope comprising a plurality of separately formed rigidly connected counterpart rope thimbles that are spaced apart at one end of said tting and converge from their spaced apart portions toward the other end of said fitting where they contact sidewise in noncominunicating relation.

14. A shackle-type fitting for a braided wire rope sling comprising two rigidly connected exteriorly grooved thimbles, each having a substantially semi-circular end portion and portions substantially tangent thereto that converge tof ward and are substantially in contact at the other end of said thimble, said semi-circular end portion of said thimbles being spaced apart at one end of said fitting and said converging portions converging toward the other end of said fitting where they contact sidewise.

15. A shackle-type fitting for a braided wire rope sling comprising two rigidly connected exteriorly grooved thimbles, each having a substantially semi-circular end portion, portions substantially tangent thereto that converge toward and are substantially in contact at the other end of said thimble, and a portion connecting said converging portions adjacent to said semi-circular end portion and cooperating therewith to form a shackle pin receiving opening, said semi-circular end portion of said thimbles being spaced apart at one end of said fitting and said con verging portions converging toward the other end of said fitting where they contact sidewise.

16. An end fitting for a rope comprising a body having laterally spaced arms at one end thereof and having two laterally spaced non-communicating rope grooves that extend along two opposite sides of said body along the respective arms thereof and around the outer ends of said arms and converge toward the other end of said body.

17. An end fitting for a rope comprising a body with laterally spaced arms at one end thereof and two laterally spaced non-communicating rope grooves that extend along two opposite sides of said body along the respective arms thereof and around the outer ends of said arms and have por# tions that converge towards the other end of said body, the two portions of each individual groove also converging towards said other end of said body.

18. In combination, a braided wire rope sling and a shackle type end fitting therefor, said end tting comprising two separately formed thimbles having openings extending therethrough, said braided wire rope terminating at one end in two closed loops, one positioned about each of said thimbles, and a shackle pin extending through said openings in said thimbles.

FREDERICK W. voN WEHRDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

